After this was done, Dong Zhao still felt that there was something lacking, so he decided to return to Hanoi first, meet with Zhang Yang, and open the road from Yingchuan to Hanoi for Cao Cao.
Only in this way can the two phases be connected.
So Dong Zhao immediately put on his hat and long-sleeved robe, tidied his beard and sideburns, and went out with his chest held high.
He first went to Zhong Yao's mansion and sent a letter, and then went to say goodbye to Li Jue and sent a letter.
He met Guo Si again, sent a letter, and had a pleasant conversation after the visit... It was not until midnight that he left the city for Hanoi. Along the way, he was thinking about how to talk to Zhang Yang before he could be released. , take the initiative to contact Cao Cao.
After two days of journey, Zhang Yang came to pick him up in person when Dong Zhao returned to Hanoi. Zhang was very tall, with a beard, bright eyes, and discontinuities along his temples, and his skin was rough and weathered.
The whole face has a majestic feeling of vicissitudes of life, as if he has returned from traveling in the vast yellow sand.
As soon as he saw Dong Zhao's frame, Zhang Yang quickly walked to the front of the car and stretched out his rough hands to welcome Dong Zhao down.
This scene made Dong Zhao feel embarrassed and panicked, his eyes twinkling.
"Thanks to the general's love and courtesy, Zhao feels guilty and has trouble sleeping at night."
"Why feel guilty?" Zhang Yang led him on the way back to the city, his expression cold and emotionless.
As Dong Zhao walked, he talked about what he had seen and heard in Chang'an this time, and analyzed the current situation to Zhang Yang. He made it clear that Li Jue and Guo Si were not in harmony with each other and might cause chaos at any time.
"However, Zhao failed to make any achievements for the general and asked for troops, food and allies."
"When I go here, I feel that Chang'an is like muddy water, with wind and rain mixed in, and all forces are involved."
"Well, I have already felt this way. Unfortunately, I am guarding Hanoi County and cannot leave at will. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao both regard my land as their own. They have secretly formed an alliance. As soon as my army withdraws, they will immediately send troops to attack. Therefore, I can’t live without Hanoi.”
Zhang Yang defended Hanoi, but at the same time he was bound by this place. Once he left, he would lose his place.
The feud between him and Yuan Shao was the beginning that made him dare not give up Hanoi.
Therefore, he always maintained relations with the Chang'an court, took in Lu Bu, sent food to Chang'an for disaster relief, and came to confront Yuan Shao with support from left and right.
At this time, Dong Zhao's face froze and he quickly said: "Why does the general say that Duke Cao also has plans for Hanoi?"
Zhang Yang snorted coldly and did not become suspicious because Dong Zhao called "Cao Gong". He knew that Dong Gongren always spoke politely.
So he quickly replied: "He has sent letters many times, all asking me to switch on and off so that his envoys can go from Hanoi to Chang'an to meet the emperor. However, he and Yuan Shao secretly formed an alliance in the early years, relying on Hebei and Henan, and successively fought against the world. Princes, how can I let him enter the country and cause unrest in the country?"
"General, you must not think like this," Dong Zhao quickly walked around to him. This was the perfect opportunity. Zhang Yang happened to mention Cao Cao. Maybe it was time to persuade him to open the door!
"At the beginning, Duke Cao sent the envoy Wang Bi to Chang'an, and the general gave him permission. Later, Cao Cao sent dogs, horses, gold and silk, which is also a good story. Why are you worried about Duke Cao's plot now!?" Dong Zhao raised his head and looked directly at Zhang Yang, "As I said below, I feel guilty precisely because of this section."
Zhang Yang stopped, looked at him quietly, and said, "Gongren, please speak."
"I privately believe that the general has a long history of martial prowess, and everyone in Bingzhou knows the general's bravery."
"However, if you retreat to Hanoi now, you are highly valued by the emperor and you should pay back this favor. You should think deeply about making great achievements to repay this kindness. Now, the achievements are in front of you, and the general should take them."
"Where does this achievement come from?" Zhang Yang's eyes were deep and thoughtful.
"It is a foregone conclusion that the Emperor will return eastward. Not to mention that Your Majesty misses the old capital of Luoyang very much. Now, Li Jue and Guo Bin are fighting among themselves. The two are increasingly resentful. Sooner or later, there will be a battle."
"Therefore, the general should serve the king as his top priority. Of course, the general's ability alone is not enough, but if there are external princes to support him, great things can be accomplished. After the emperor returns to Luoyang, he will definitely commend the meritorious officials. If the general is among them, he will be with Yuan Shao. Won’t the hatred and hatred be released and melted away?”
"Outer princes, you are talking about Cao Cao." Otherwise, he would not have guided me so slowly. But Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were originally allies, so how could they treat me sincerely?
Under the moonlight, followed by the dim firelight, Dong Zhao could clearly see Zhang Yang's face at this time, which was actually shaken.
So he bowed deeply and said sincerely: "Cao Gong and Yuan Shao are not long-term allies. Yuan Shao has occupied Jizhou and Qingzhou, and now he is about to capture Youzhou. There are thousands of miles of fertile fields, hundreds of generals, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers." .”
"And Cao Gong occupied Yanzhou, Xuzhou, Yingchuan, and Runan, and used the army to govern the country. He hoarded grain and treated the people well. Although there were less than 200,000 soldiers, there were millions or even tens of millions of people in the territory. Then, we will be able to continuously obtain troops from a source in the future.”
"The two of them will have a fight sooner or later."
"The winner will survive in the world. This is the general trend." Dong Zhao looked at him with burning eyes, "And the general has enmity with Yuan Shao, why not help Duke Cao?"
"Generals also need merit, why not take advantage of the situation to gain the merits of protecting the emperor and the convenience of making friends?"
While Zhang Yang was deep in thought, he didn't respond a word. He was weighing the pros and cons of the moment. Although he was the governor of Hanoi at the moment, the people here were wealthy and had a lot of food.
There was a severe drought last year, and the soldiers were ordered to carry provisions to the emperor. After coming to Hanoi, thieves are not like thieves, and heroes are not like heroes. We should make some changes.
"Okay, I'll open the door to welcome you. Send an envoy for me. Give this order to Cao Cao and ask him to send an envoy across Hanoi to Chang'an."
Dong Zhao was right. Instead of sticking to Hanoi, it would be better to take advantage of the situation to make achievements, make friends with Cao Cao, and ally with him to resist Yuan Shao.
Otherwise, if you wait any longer, you will be waiting to die.
Zhang Yang was not afraid of death, but he was afraid that his death would be too simple and useless, and he would spend his whole life with the soldiers and horses who had followed him for many years.
Dong Zhao's words touched his heart deeply. He could make great achievements and make friends with Cao Cao.
"General, wise."
Dong Zhao grinned and said: "I will definitely work for the general and send my confidants to Cao Cao, asking him to send envoys to Hanoi as soon as possible to form an alliance with the general."
"Thank you Gongren." Zhang Yang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Dong Zhao saw the situation much more clearly than he did, so he always relied on Dong Zhao after he got him.
Dong Zhao waved his hand and said: "Isn't it just for these things that I have used my talents in this life?
"In this case, I need to leave tonight and go back to Chang'an. I will travel everywhere and try to find out the emperor's movements first."
He bowed deeply again, which surprised Zhang Yang. He had just come back and had not had any rest yet, but he was going to Chang'an immediately.
It seems that the situation is indeed very critical. "I will give you some dead soldiers and guards. You can take them to Chang'an."
"Thank you, General. Zhao will certainly fulfill his mission and open up a feasible path for the General."
"Ha," Zhang Yang chuckled lightly with his hands behind his back, looked at him deeply, and said in a deep voice, "Nowadays, everyone is looking for a way out, and the emperor is no exception."
"The situation is chaotic and far more critical than you and I thought. Therefore, your top priority is to save your life. Your talents should be put to use immediately."
"treasure."
There is no personal friendship between the two of them, and neither of them can be considered heroic or chivalrous in character.
But no matter what, working together in Hanoi and being personally involved in the Chang'an situation every day also gave birth to a real friendship.
Very valuable.
…
Dong Zhao returned to Chang'an, and within a day, someone came to visit his mansion.
After the banquet, he pretended to be drunk and went to the inner room to discuss.
The person who came was Ting Wei Zheng Zhongyao.
Zhong Yao, who has a beard that reaches his chest, has the style of a true Confucian, with bright eyes, thick beard and hair, and a mixture of black and white.
He is wearing an official robe with black as the main color and a crown on his head. His face and body shape are thin, his beard reaches to his chest, and he smiles elegantly.
At this time, he stretched out his hand to twist the beard on his chest and said calmly: "I have been reading the letter you sent me all night long. Duke Cao's military virtue is prosperous. He has gained hundreds of thousands of soldiers outside, and he still has the ambition to be a diligent king."
"As early as when Dong Zhuo was attacked, he took the lead and preceded all the princes; when Dong Zhuo entered the capital, he also secretly plotted to assassinate him, but before the matter was completed, he changed his name and left."
"I deeply admire you."
Zhong Yao bluntly stated his position, and his slightly hoarse and vicissitudes of voice continued to sound: "I would like to urge the people to return to the east and persuade Li Jue and Guo Si, but it is difficult to make them let go of this matter."
"The situation in Chang'an is tense now. In order to protect the imperial city, Li Jue and Guo Si each led the remnants of Bai Bo, the remnants of Heishan, the Southern Huns bandits, the Western Qiang tribe, etc., making the emperor miserable and trying to escape. They have to agree.”
I see……
Dong Zhao didn't know when he arrived. If Zhong Yao hadn't told him, how could he have imagined that there were so many traitors and aliens scattered around Chang'an.
The Southern Xiongnu are a famous tribe on horseback. If there is an army here, it must be cavalry.
Moreover, with so many hidden hoards of troops and horses, it is no wonder that when there was no harvest and corpses littered the fields last year, the two of them refused to provide food and supplies for disaster relief.
I watched helplessly as hundreds of thousands of people starved to death at the feet of the emperor! !
Cruel as a tiger or a wolf! How to compare with benevolent masters like Mr. Cao! ?
"In fact, there are a large number of scouts stationed in the inner city of Chang'an. Even if I am here today, someone may immediately report it to Li Jue, or Guo Si, or someone else."
"Tingwei, this..."
"Don't panic." Zhong Yao saw Dong Zhao's surprise. He quickly raised his hand and shook his head and said, "When you and I meet tonight, we will definitely be questioned by both of them tomorrow. So I just want to say that you and I are old acquaintances and have a close relationship at home. I have in-laws, I got drunk in your house, it’s better if I can’t go back home.”
Speaking of this, Zhong Yao smiled again: "Of course, no one will necessarily ask."
"What does this mean?" Dong Zhao didn't understand what he meant.
Zhong Yao sighed: "In the past, righteous men came to see me. At night, we worked together to make plans to relieve the depression at this time. But if the people who came to see me were not related, Li Jue would ask questions the next day, or Guo Si Come and ask; if the relationship is very important, maybe related to the Central Plains, you won't come and ask."
"Both of them are generals who have spent half their lives in the army and have killed many people. They have also experienced Wang Situ's unforgivable hatred. They are sensitive to the hatred of scholars and will definitely ask me."
"If you don't ask, it means you don't know."
"Ah," Dong Zhao suddenly shouted briefly, "all the information about sentinels must be in the hands of one person. It is Jia Xu, the mastermind of the Niu Fu Army back then. I remember him."
"Correct answer," Zhong Yao nodded, "This person can be said to be resourceful, and his viciousness is even more vicious than that of Li Ru back then. He has never been arrogant or domineering, and he has never even been seen outside, and he does not seek a false reputation."
"Every time Li Jue and Guo Si came forward, he always hid behind him. No matter how many strategies he devised to check and balance the ministers behind his back, if he saw an official the next day, no matter he was familiar with him or not, he would greet him with a smile and salute respectfully. It can be said that he is very knowledgeable. The wise way to protect yourself.”
"But I can predict that he has been extremely disappointed with Li Jue and Guo Si."
Dong Zhao was delighted, these words were the real reassurance tonight.
Originally, listening to the first half of it, he just felt like falling into an ice cellar and was horrified.
It was horrifying to think that he was always in someone's hands while he was running around delivering letters.
But if he loses patience with Li Jue and Guo Si, it will be equivalent to one of his own.
Perhaps, he already knew what he was secretly saying, but he was still cooperating secretly.
"Why is Wei Ting so sure that this person can control the sentry? Do the two thieves actually trust him so much?"
"If the guess is correct, only Jia Xu can be trusted, because Li Jue and Guo Si originally wanted to flee back to Xiliang. If they went back, they would definitely die."
"However, it was Jia Xu who made an effort to fight back to Chang'an and asked them to gather the Dong thief tribe along the way. Just then, Situ's plan failed. The emperor had just eliminated one tiger, but was trapped by two wolves."
"Me too, I only found out after I accidentally heard Li Jue talking about it after he was drunk."
"Ha..." Dong Zhao's hands were shaking after hearing this. He didn't know whether it was anger, regret, or fear.
Without him, the princes of Chang'an would still be in power now, and the world might not be so divided.
The princes of Guandong will not call for the establishment of the Eastern Emperor.
"He is a true poisonous person! He doesn't care about the world falling apart. How can he, Li and Guo, who are close friends in life and death, be able to scheme against each other?"
"Well," Zhong Yao's eyes were solemn, and the hand that twirled his beard tightened, he said: "He is now on good terms with Zhang Ji. I even have a guess that Li Jue and Guo Si are becoming more and more conflicted, and he is also the one who instigated them. achievement."
"He wants to take advantage of this chaos to run away with Zhang Jiyuan and find another place. He can even escape from the ranks of thieves and not be blamed by the emperor."
"If it is true, then this person is really terrible... Since ancient times, soldiers and planners have followed the principles of the world, but they have never strayed away from the general trend, such as weather, morality, geography, generals, methods and laws. If he doesn't stick to this, he will devise sinister schemes that are impossible to guard against."
"Seriously, it's so scary..."
Dong Zhao murmured to himself that he was not good at conspiracy and calculation, so it was difficult to understand.
Zhong Yao felt as if he had frightened the younger generation, his face suddenly relaxed, and his expression returned to kindness and relaxation.
His tone also became lighter, and he said with a smile: "It's not terrible. Since he has planned to stir up the general situation, then our return to the east must also be involved. He will promote the return to the east. When Li Jue and Guo Si chase eastward, he will Let’s take this opportunity to get away from Zhang Ji to the south.”
"In this way, it will not harm us."
"There's no need to guess like this, they are friends of life and death after all..." Dong Zhao raised his head cautiously and looked at Zhong Yao.
At this time, another thought came to his mind. If Jia Xu is so scary, wouldn't you, who is so piercingly aware of Jia Xu, be also scary?
"This person's tricks can be called unjust, and he is really a poisonous person." Zhong Yao commented directly.
But he is knowledgeable about the past and present, his calligraphy is transcendent, and his quiet skills are naturally extraordinary. He also has a truth that he understands, but he does not tell Dong Zhao.
A poisonous person has no help from heaven. He seeks his own place and lives in heaven and earth, but he cannot seek the way of heaven. The general trend will never follow him.
(End of chapter)
